Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-01-07
MY LADY ALISON.

''Be patient, Alison. Try to look on
the bright side of life and hope for the
best.''
The girl addressed ]aughed-a short,
savage laugh, that was not good to hear
from those beautiful lips. She sat with
tightly clasped hands, her head thrown
back against tue trunk Of a great oak,
that swept it's messy arms downward
as if yearning to enfold its deposed and
beggared princess. There was hard
CLUTTER in the half-shut black eyes as
they roamed from tree to shrub, from
the fountains finging their diamond
spray high up in the sunshine to the
graceful statuary cleaning white
through the dark green leaves. Not
q nook nor a corner in the familiar
grounds and the stately gray stone pal
ace, standing like a crown in the midst
of them, that did not possess it's asso-
citation dearer than life. This had been
her kingdom where she had reIgned
naughty as princess with her equals,
sweet and gracious to those beneath
her In station, dangerously alluring to
all; worshiped not only for her birth
right of beauty and wealth. but for her
fathers name. that was wreathed in
laurel wherever patriotism and bravery
are known and honored. One short
year, and to-day the father slept in a
dishonored grave, while his daughter
stole through the gates of her heritage
rs stranger might come to take last
look before going far away to join with
unframed hands in the worlds rough
struggle for bread. What wonder that
the commonplace words Of comfort
sounded like mockery to the proud
spirit torn by storm OF bitter, rebel
lious thoughts, that arraigned with i'm
pious impartiality the justice of God
and man. The Alison Van Dant Of one
year ago had given place to cynical
woman, returning hatred and scorn to
the world that had once come to wor-
ship and went away to revile. She an
swered her friends pitiful glance with
an angry CLINT from the sombre eyes,
while the harsh laugh rang out again.
Good, substantial advice, equally
practicable and original, but. unfortu-
nately, there is wide difference between
looking on the bright side of life from
distance and experiencing it,"
She sat upright, and went on in
high, strained voice:
'Jessle Greyson, did it never occur
to YOU that God is on the side of wrong
and injustice?'
''Teaus! Spare me that Mortified stare.
You would make beautiful Lady
Macbeth. But listen. This is nv an
cestra! home; monument to genera
tons of generous and honorable men
and women. How blamelessly my faith
Ell upheld, the stainless name. thousands
whom his great heart benefited could
tell. The Van Dants always used their
power for the good OF those less for
tunate than themselves with proud
uplifting of her head-"which, as the
world goes she continued, bitterly,
''js the reason it was taken away from
their most worthy representative, and
given to one who has not one redeem
ing quality in his vile nature.'''
''His intense love for his son is a re-
deeming quality said gentle Jessie,
always anxious to find good in every
one. s. -
'Ryall Gillette idolizes his own am
bilious schemes in the future of the
child. 1t is the only love of which he
is capable" retorted Alison Van Dant,
scornfully. ''Yet, when he came to us,
five years ago. asking only our friend
ship because his father and mine were
warm school friends, he was so humble
and. at the same time, 50 candidly So
licitous to please his employer
that he would have deceived a
more suspicious nature, than my faith.
er's. Without guile himself, he didsnot
look for it in others. Gradually this
accomplished villain so insinuated him
self into the confidence OF his henefac-
tor that he was allowed to assume .lln-
limited control Of the business which
the honored name OF Austin Van Dant
had induced rich and poor to invest
their savings. Then, one terrible day,
the crash came, when, amid the frenzied
reproaches Of those who had been re-
duced to poverty through their trust in
him, the innocent old man faced the
unnerited disgrace long enough to give
them all he possessed; then. with q
blessing for his only child, he died Of a
broken heart. But the man who had
spread the net that entanglel SO many
lived respected md prosperous, having
saved enough Of his .illgotten gains to
purchase the home lie had made DESC
late. Over the'coffin Of my murdered
So n L